Born in Savannah-La-Mar, a coastal city in Jamaica’s Westmoreland parish, Anne-Share Blake—higher recognized by her hometown-inspired stage title Sevana—is a singer and actress who has toured the globe as a solo artist. Her songs are a phenomenal and daring mix of Caribbean influences and soulful R&B which might be serving to to broaden the definition of island music (watch her 2020 “Mango” music video, and her 2022 “Lowe Mi” music video to get a really feel for her vibe). This month, she’ll make her main function movie debut in Bob Marley: One Love, wherein she performs Judy Mowatt, one of many I Threes (Marley’s trio of backup vocalists, which additionally included Marcia Griffiths and his spouse Rita Marley). Her subsequent single, “Hold Going,” is slated to launch on the finish of February.

Rumfest

Held yearly in Montego Bay, Jamaica Rum Pageant—Rumfest for brief—is, in accordance with Sevana, a “star-studded occasion.” Because the title implies, the pageant is centered round good music, good rum, and a great time, with a wide range of Jamaican rums on faucet, together with Appleton Property, Wray and Nephew, and extra (don’t sleep on the quintessentially Jamaican “Rumpari” cocktail, a preferred combo of rum and Campari). All liquor apart, Rumfest can be a spot the place performers convey their A recreation. “Look out for folks like Capleton and Tessanne Chin doing their greatest efficiency at Rumfest,” Sevana suggests, including that she even gave top-of-the-line performances of her profession there final 12 months. “I used to be going by way of quite a bit in my private life at the moment, and after I completed giving it my all, I cried. Rumfest has an even bigger place in my coronary heart for that motive.”

When to go: Click on right here for the 2024 schedule

Frenchmen Occasion

Twenty-five years in the past, three native buddies—“Juicey” (Ian Wong), “Doc” (Michael Banbury) and “TC” (Tony Campbell)—got here along with a united mission: to raise the Caribbean social gathering expertise. The result’s the Frenchmen Occasion, a roving theme social gathering that takes place in several parishes everywhere in the island. Every one options a mixture of dwell music, DJ performances from DJs like Bloodline Franco and Brush1, native meals, and joyful vibes. “I’ve solely been to 1, so I can’t communicate to all the Frenchmen occasions, however it was magical…folks simply have enjoyable there,” says Sevana. “Rain was falling after I went, however no one cared. We have been all dancing within the rain, and I used to be capable of let go.”